The present invention pertains to a boat top for use on skiffs and other small boats. The top includes an arch which is affixed to the boat gunwales and has a pivotable shade frame. The top can be tilted from its upright position to a dormant position in a quick, efficient manner.
Various types of tops have been used on small boats in the past as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,931,114, 6,327,993 and 6,349,666. While these tops generally serve the intended purpose they do not offer the protection and sturdiness desired in adverse weather conditions. In addition, certain conventional boat tops can not remain upright while being towed at highway speeds. Other standard tops do not provide side spray protection while underway. Other such tops are bulky, difficult to raise, lower or remove and occupy needed interior space beside the steering console.
Thus, with the problems and disadvantages of prior boat tops, the present invention was conceived and one of its objectives is to provide a tiltable boat top which can be raised to provide shade and weather protection in adverse conditions with a minimum of wind resistance and which can be quickly, easily lowered by one person as desired.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a boat top which is pivotally affixed to the gunwales of a boat.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a boat top having an arch which can be tilted forward at an approximate 90xc2x0 angle when not in use and the attached shade frame pivoted to an acute horizontal angle.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a boat top which can be quickly erected by an inexperienced person and can be manually lowered to a dormant position in a matter of minutes.
It is a further objective of the invention to provide a tiltable top which is fully supported along the top of the arch for wind and water stability and to allow storage, or attachment of needed appliances or items;
It is also an objective of the present invention to provide a durable and sturdy boat top for use on a variety of boats which can be manufactured inexpensively using conventional materials.
Various other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as a more detailed description is set forth below.
The aforesaid and other objectives are realized by providing a boat top which includes an arch formed of front and rear tubular frame members and which is releasably, pivotably affixed to the boat gunwales along each side. The arch is positioned above the steering console and attached windshield and a flexible cover is attached to a shade frame which pivotably joins the arch. The shade frame is releasably affixed to the front tubular frame member and is pivotably affixed to the rear tubular frame member. Each tubular frame member has an inverted U-shape with a pair of legs which are joined at the top by a transverse member. The front and rear tubular frame members are positioned over the steering console and are attached to the gunwales. The front frame member legs are pivotably joined to the gunwales and the rear frame member legs are releasably joined thereto.
Once erected, to rapidly lower the top, the rear frame member legs on each side of the boat are manually released from the gunwale by removing a locking pin. A pair of shade frame brace pins are also removed, allowing the top to pivot approximately 90xc2x0 (forward) toward the bow of the boat. By removing a pair of wing nuts which retain bolts which attach the shade frame to the front frame member, the shade frame can then pivot about the rear frame member to allow the shade frame to rest in its dormant position at an acute angle to the horizon below the console windshield. This accommodates the boat""s passing under low bridges as needed and easy storage in conventional vehicle garages. The shade frame with its cover to reduce wind resistance by its angle of incidence while in the dormant position when the boat travels at high rates of speed on the water or while being towed behind a vehicle along a highway.
On each side of the boat top, a splash panel having an arm rest is positioned between the tubular frame members. The splash panel helps protect the boat operator from water spray while underway. The side panels can also be used to suspend a fire extinguisher, a small tool cabinet or the like. A gasket placed on each of the gunwales between the tubular members acts as a sealing strip between the splash panel and the gunwale. A storage chest is also provided beneath the shade frame and is attached such as by welding or bolting to the transverse members. The storage chest may contain maps, equipment and the like in a convenient secure, dry manner.